Citing 2012 data from the U.S. Commerce Department, the article found the New Orleans area ranking at the top of United States metropolitan areas for its per-capita value of goods and services exported, which came to $20,209. While New Orleans' population is smaller than those of most of the other cities in the top 10, the article points to the region's role as a petroleum center.

And New Orleans ranked second for overall growth in exports from 2005 to 2012, rising from $4.9 billion to $24.4 billion.

The starting year in that range, of course, included Hurricane Katrina and its massive disruption of the New Orleans economy. The article, however, says this about the numbers: "What this does show is that even long-struggling metros have a major opportunity to improve themselves through focusing on export growth."